RANGEMAN Crazy
by xoc13
Summary: Ranger gets an unexpected visit in his office, making him question his Babe's motives.
1. Chapter 1

**It has been a really, really long time since I've written anything. Work was been crazy the last several months. I was promoted, which meant more work and less free time. I had my first day off after three months of working 60 plus hour Monday thru Sunday work weeks. At the height of it, I had to be available for my employees from around 5am to 11pm (sometimes as late as 1am) daily. As the workload started taking its toll, I started thinking about how what I was experiencing was a good glimpse of Ranger's life at Rangeman. I also noted how the one thing that kept me going was that I knew the crazy season was from Jan to May and it would end after that. But, Ranger doesn't have that kind of work, where the nonstop "Only** _ **you**_ **can solve this thing" ends in a couple of months. And it got me to thinking about this short story.**

 **I didn't have time to actually attempt to write the beginning of this mini story until now. I apologize in advance for the rusty writing. I'm hoping this story will help me get back to writing FF so I can get back to regular story updates.**

 **Disclaimer: The Plum Universe belongs to JE.**

I was halfway through the stack of files on my desk when a quick rap on my office door distracted me. Without tearing my eyes away from the report in my hands, I yelled impatiently so the person on the other side of the door could speedy up their visit. "It's Open." I said simply, annoyed with the effort. I'd never admit it out loud but lately I've been more irritable than usual. Work has been nonstop, more demanding than ever before, and the last time I was offline for a peaceful rest was several _months_ ago.

As soon as the door swung open my senses were invaded all at once. The hair on the back of my neck stood at attention, as did the rest of my body. I knew it was Babe walking in without having to raise my head, but her scent was _wrong_. No, not wrong. _Different_. She can already drive me wild on command, which at this point is no surprise to me anymore, but there was something _very different_ about her.

Scanning Babe from head to toe only made me harder. She was wearing the standard issued Rangeman uniform of Black T-shirt and cargo pants. Babe wasn't even wearing a fitted T-shirt. In fact, the T-shirt was extra loose on her and the color just a hint of faded. It was _my shirt_ she was wearing. Well, it had been mine at some point in the past. Her hair was up in a ponytail and her makeup was minimal to non-existent today. To the normal eye there was nothing different about her, yet I was ready to pounce. The fact that we haven't seen each other much lately could be partly to blame, but there was something about Babe today that made me desperate. I wanted her. BAD.

"Here's the report you requested." Her tone was normal. There was no teasing, no innuendo, no... nothing in her voice. Babe was all business. Or at least she made it seem that way.

Before I could process the _real reason_ for her visit, Babe surprised me by leaning down to press a kiss on my lips just as her fingers graced mine as she handed me the report. To say she caught me off guard was an understatement. Babe likes to keep it strictly business at Rangeman, even though everyone here knows we're involved. The initial surprise faded and was replaced by willingness as my lust intensified. She was driving me insane with need as our kiss intensified, morphing into the kind of kiss we would typically share on our way to getting naked.

And just as suddenly as the kiss started, she ended it. Babe pulled away, leaving me dizzy and engulfed in a cloud of her _new scent_. Before I could process what was about to happen next, Babe waltz out of my office just as unexpectedly as she had arrived. That barely noticeable skip to her step told me she was up to something.

"Oh Babe." I found myself smiling wide. Whatever she has in mind, _I'm game_.


	2. Offline, Maybe?

**Thank you all for the amazing support on this story. Life is still kinda hectic, but I have been able to renew some of the muse. I have several updates on different stages of completion so hopefully in the next couple weeks I'll have updates to some stories (Currently have 'The Last Time' and 'Since You've Been Gone' in my sights).**

 **I decided to continue this chapter in Ranger's POV. And boy, did Ranger have a dirty mind. The chapter took quite a smutty turn and so I decided to up the Rating to M. I will add at least one more chapter, but in Steph's POV, to close off this short story arc.**

 **Disclaimer: The Plum universe belongs to JE. The rusty writing and mistakes are mine.**

After unloading the Turbo I decided to make a quick detour before heading up to the penthouse. I peeled off my bloodied, sticky clothing to use one of the showers at the gym. The blood wasn't mine, so there was no reason for Babe for worry. 

My cleansing was basic and fast. Once I was clean, I dried hastily. It was late and I was tired. A bed sounded heavenly, and even more appealing if Babe was already waiting for me. Wrapping the towel around my waist, I collected my weapons and hurried up to our apartment on seven.

When I unlocked the door and entered the penthouse, silence and darkness reigned. A quick glance at my phone told me it was past midnight. Silently, I padded barefoot to the bedroom so as not to wake Babe.

And sure enough I found her fast asleep. She was spread across the bed, taking up almost the entirety of the mattress. It was a good tactic to get me to wake her up as I joined her. Thanks to my skills and the fact that I know how much of a deep sleeper Babe can be, I was able to successfully complete my objective to not wake her up. Although my dick had other plans, I had to fight myself to do what I have done a million times before: stealthily slip into bed with her _to sleep_. In the past I would fight myself so as not to spook her with my advances, while still trying to take advantage of any opportunity given. Now, I'm trying to be a good guy and not disturb her sleep. _How ironic_. Now that we're together and I have all the right to slip into bed and _into_ her...

Once I slid under the covers, Babe curled herself over my right side. I kissed her forehead goodnight and got a good whiff of her scent in the process. Her normal aroma was back with just a hint of whatever she had been wearing earlier in the day still clinging to her skin. Smiling wide, I closed my eyes to allow her even breathing to soothe me to sleep.

S&R

 _She waltzed into my office with a wicked smile plastered on her face. With an arched eyebrow I watched her lock the door behind her and use her key fob to disable the cameras._

 _"Babe?" I could feel my lips lift in a grin as she headed my way._

 _"I need you." She said simply as her lips crashed into mine. Her lips tasted sweet and that combined with her scent caused an instant riot in me. I was hard and wanted nothing more than to pound my rock hard dick into her._

 _"Babe." The breathy moan morphed into a growl when I watched her sink to her knees before me. Was she going to blow me in my office? That would certainly be a first. OH, was I eager for it._

 _The moment she unbuttoned and then unzipped my cargo pants I knew I was a goner. I would let her be in control and do whatever she wanted. And that's exactly what she intended to do. As Babe freed my hard cock she let out a gasp of surprise. Her shock was brief, and her mission resumed seconds later. With a grin, Babe pressed an open mouthed kiss on the head while her hands focused on my shaft. She licked, sucked and squeezed my dick and balls like I was her favorite dessert. Babe was coiling me closer and closer to what promised to be an intense release._

 _But just as I was on the brink of the most satisfying orgasm as of late, the moment was interrupted by the offending sound of a phone ringing._

It took several moments for the ringing to snap me out of the trance. Annoyed, I answered the call. It was Bobby with an update on Mike. Resigned, I listened to Bobby's clearance report for the new Rangeman hire. I must have replied because Bobby disconnected seconds later. When I hung up the phone I was left with silence and a very painful hard on. I've been fantasizing about Babe ever since her midday kiss yesterday.

As if on cue, Babe unexpectedly burst into my office. She was busy giving me a rundown on the latest walkthrough she completed with Vince as she rounded my desk. I watched her as if in slow motion, taking in the way her curls bobbed with every step. Whenever she's excited Babe does this slight tiptoe walk. She will never admit it and I've never brought it up because that little _extra_ in her stride causes a slight bounce in her breasts. And it never fails set me ablaze.

As soon as she rounded the desk, my hand reached out to grab her arm. Snagging her closer to me, I locked her lips in a frenzied kiss. I needed her more than I needed my next breath. Her initial surprise faded and her lips parted to tangle her tongue with mine.

Our passionate kiss turned even more heated when Babe lost her balance. "Ranger!", She gasped against my lips when her hand landed on my lap. "What are you doing in here?" She breathed the question against my lips as her hand squeezed me over my pants.

Babe's gaze was fixed on my very obvious erection as she stroked me over the rough fabric of my cargos. "Babe." I moaned my name for her at the same time I realized the cameras were not off in my office. I wanted to let go so bad, but I also wanted privacy. If anyone so much as thought about interrupting this moment, I'd shoot them. I would.

Standing up, I whirled her around to press my front flush to her back. The swift move startled her, which elicited a jump and caused her ass to brush against my cock in the process. It was sweet, sweet torture.

I sent a quick text to Tank to let him know Babe and I would be offline for the rest of the day _and_ _night_. I didn't wait for his reply before shoving my phone in my pocket. With one arm secured around her waist, I prompted Babe to walk to lead the way out of my office and towards the elevator.

Thankfully we made it to our destination uninterrupted. We rode the short distance up to seven with me holding her close. To the naked eye it looked like we were sharing a chaste embrace. And it couldn't be further from the truth.

"What were you doing in your office?" Her question along with the sound of the door slamming closed behind us broke the silence in the apartment. "Oh!" She didn't realize I had unbuttoned her pants on our short walk from the elevator, so the feel of my fingers slipping into her lacy thong was quite the bombshell.

"I was thinking about you..." I murmured in her ear just as my finger slipped into her waiting pussy. "...blowing me in my office." Along with my confession I added a second digit into the mix and was rewarded with the sound of her ragged breathing.

"Right there, yes!" Babe widened her stance to allow my wandering hand more room to work. As I coiled her tighter and tighter to what promised to be an intense orgasm, my dick was painfully hard as it fought to escape the confines of my pants. But despite how desperate I was to sink into her delicious pie and pound away, I wanted her to savor the first of many orgasms to come. My free hand slipped under her T-shirt to cup her left breast and the added sensation pushed her over the edge. Leaning against me Babe let herself succumb to the pleasure of sweet relief.

To my surprise, she spun around to fuse her lips to mine. "Babe." I warned with a groan when she stroked me again.

"It feels so big." She whispered, unaware that the thought had left her kiss swollen lips, even as she worked on the button on my pants. I took a deep breath as I watched her slowly unzip and lower my cargos just enough to free my erection. It seemed she was not the only one mesmerized with the difference. My dick definitely looked a lot bigger than it fet. "Uhmmmm..." Babe biting her bottom lip when she's deep in thought is not uncommon, but doing it while she's scrutinizing my harness is actually new.

"Steph..." I let out another warning when she trailed her fingers down my shaft to cup my taut balls.

"Off, now." Her wish was my command.

Once we were both completely naked my body refused to move until I was deep inside her. And that's exactly what we did. Our bodies didn't miss a beat. She squeezed me tight, emitting rippling waves of pleasure centered around our joined bodies.

We landed on the couch sometime after my initial stroke. I didn't recall us moving away from the front door, but I really couldn't care less. With her body deliciously sandwiched between mine and the couch, my hips began to move in a set pace. Fast and hard thrusts mixed in with slow, drawn out exits. In, hard. Out, slow. In fast and out teasing. In, out, in, out... Over and over again until I felt the telltale signs of her impending orgasm.

"Ranger." She moaned my name against my ear as her arms and legs tightened around me. She was close and I was going to deliver. Anything and everything for her.

"Babe." Groaning out my name for her, I shifted my hips to get a better angle. It did the trick, the speed and force sending her over the edge. I watched her face intently as the pleasure consumed her completely.

It took her several long moments to come down from the high. Her amazement showed when she realized I was still hard deep inside. When I flipped us so she could be on top, her smile widened.

Straddling me, Babe leaned down to kiss me. This kiss was a lot more intense than our previous ones. It was hot, but not desperate. The kiss was a teasing invitation for what was to come. Once we broke for air, Babe flashed me her proudest grin.

" _I'm game_.", _my wife_ joyfully stated. 


	3. Definitely Offline

**Thank you for the support and patience on this story. This one is still in Ranger's POV. Once again Ranger's mind took a wild turn. I have about half of the next chapter in the works, so hopefully it won't be too long before an update.**

 **Disclaimer: Plum universe belongs to JE. Mistakes and rusty writing are mine.**

I was startled awake by the feel of lips brushing against my lower abdomen. When warm hands began roaming across my torso, I smiled lazily. We were quite active all afternoon and part of the night, so I was pleasantly surprised by the wake up call. "Babe." The roughness of my voice was a stark contrast to the otherwise silent bedroom.

There was a slight rustle of the sheets before the mattress dipped and she moved to straddle my thighs. "Today will be a really _long_ and busy day." Her voice was just as rough, which meant she hasn't been awake much herself.

Even though I could feel her heat on my skin, I blew out a sigh. It will be the longest and busiest day Rangeman Trenton has ever had. We recently gained Quaker Bridge Mall as a client. The mall is currently two levels and holds over 120 shops. It has become Rangeman's largest account outside of Miami. Babe will lead a team in the initial walk through. A lot of manpower will be focused on the mall today, so that will already spread us pretty thin. On top of that, I have back to back meetings while Tank has back to back installations on other accounts. In anticipation for this busy day I had to borrow men from the Boston branch to help. Rangeman's expansion continues and I'm honestly quite lucky to have Babe by my side through this next growth phase. She belongs at Rangeman just as much as she belongs with me. "Busy, indeed."

My wife's idea of energizing ourselves for the tasks ahead involved a cowgirl and a very sexy shower. I don't often skip the gym, but I considered this morning's workout quite sufficient.

I slid the slacks past my ass and quickly fastened the belt. Despite the numerous orgasms we've shared in the past twelve hours, my body will not protest another round.

"Stop looking at me like that, Ranger." Babe murmured as she slid a black lace thong up her smooth legs. Those thongs she likes to call underwear are ridiculously small and hug her perfectly.

"Babe." A full grin escaped. She was standing within arm's reach wearing that tiny thong and nothing else. Her breasts were bare to my hungry gaze and even hungrier libido. Of course I was staring.

"No." Her blue eyes lit up with realization. "Carlos!" She warned, even though she knew we were about to cut it extremely short for our joint rundown meeting.

S&R

With a curt nod from me I concluded the meeting. My men got the message, rising all at once and marching out into the hallway in a single file line. I was behind Tank and busy reviewing files to register what caused the glass door to swiftly slam shut before me.

When I felt breasts press against my back, I got my answer. "Babe." I said with a small grin as I turned around to face my wife. I'd been too engrossed with the files to register that she was bringing up the rear. To my surprise she greeted me by crushing her lips to mine. Her kiss was so demanding that I found myself being pushed back against the closed door. Before I closed my eyes in order to fully savor the unexpected moment I had to confirm that the boardroom was still in the privacy setting. When I caught a glimpse of solid grey behind me instead of the usual clear and spotless glass, I finally relaxed enough to enjoy the makeout session she had in mind.

Apparently, Babe was full of surprises this morning. Her next stunning move was allowing her hands to explore freely. I'm usually up for _anything and anywhere_ where Babe is concerned, but I was definitely shocked. Stephanie and I are in no way prudes and yet we've kept Rangeman pretty unchristened aside from the penthouse. Some foreplay has happened pretty much anywhere in this building, sure, but we usually followed the moment by rushing upstairs to finish devouring ourselves. I think it's mostly because of our need to savor every moment together. We lost so much time when we were just circling each other that we find the need to just relish _us_.

The next thing I registered was her slim hand unzipping my slacks. Her feather light touch was a sharp contrast to the hungry kiss we were currently sharing. The more gentle her touch was, the harder I kissed her lips. I couldn't get enough of this moment.

"Babe…" I groaned when she broke our kiss and sank to her knees before me. Wait. No, she wouldn't. Would she? "Stephanie." I _begged_. I was fully erect and in need of full closure. Teasing was a bad idea.

And then she did what I'd only imagined in my head way too many times to keep count. Her lips closed around the head while her right hand wrapped around my shaft. Her blue eyes meet mine just as she applied a heavenly suction.

S&R

The memory of Babe's surprise in the conference room kept me going through one of the toughest work days I've ever had to live through. I've been shot, stabbed and endured dangerous missions. And yet nothing has been as exhausting as today.

I opted for the elevator, a rare occurrence for me, as I loosened my tie. A small grin formed as I visualized the perfect ending to this day.

And of course life had to interfere with other plans. On my ascend to the penthouse my phone buzzed violently. My whole body tensed with the vibration of the familiar emergency alert. My jaw clenched with worry as I rerouted to the control room.

As soon as the doors opened I was greeted by chaos. The entire floor, possibly the entire building, was abuzz with activity. My worry became fear when the intensity of the atmosphere hit me. Swallowing hard, I unloaded the elevator and zeroed in on the control room.

Hal was on the monitors already busy assessing the crisis.

"Report."

"Multiple explosions at Quaker Bridge Mall." Hal explained that several trackers went off the grid simultaneously. "Not good." The last statement was more him.

He said something else, but I was too busy replaying the words ' _explosions_ ' and ' _off the grid_ '.


	4. Twisted

**Thank you for the awesome support on this short story. It has helped get the muse for writing back, as well as help my rusty writing.**

 **This chapter is in Steph's POV leading up to the mall disaster.**

 **Disclaimer: The Plum universe belongs to JE. Mistakes are still mine.**

 _With my body pressed against the cushions, all I could do was relax and enjoy the ride. The initial feeling of fullness morphed into unrestrained lust as his thrusts increased. Both the speed and angle of his entrance intensified the desperate need for release. Every fast pump of his pelvis sent delicious tremors through my body._

" _Stephanie." His use of my given name only further fanned the flames of desire. I could feel myself coiling closer to what promised to be an explosive orgasm._

" _Carlos!" My moan reverberated against the walls in the otherwise silent living room. As he picked up speed, burying himself as far as he could possibly go, the sounds of our passion grew exponentially. I'd always thought that those super loud couples were just a big sham. That assumption changed with Ranger. He has a way of hitting just the right spot to make me spiral out of control. Plus, the louder I get the faster and harder his pumps become._

 _On one particular swivel of his hips, I reached that sought after moment. I let go and was immediately engulfed in the fiercest orgasm as of yet. My rippling center unleashed his own nirvana._

 _Breathing heavy, he slumped against my equally spent body. From experience I knew he wouldn't allow himself to fully surrender to a satiated state unless he shifted his weight off of me. He has the illogical fear that he will crush me. Regardless of my assurance that I'm not as fragile as he believes me to be, I know it's a battle I will always lose. Despite this, I reached back to caress my fingers across his beautiful face. "Stay." I pleaded, aware that if he indulged my request it he would do so be briefly._

 _His lips pressed softly against my fingers as I reveled in the sensation of his Herculean body grounding us to reality._

A pounding in my head startled me awake, pulling me back to the present. Except this reality was not a pleasant one. Although there was a heavy weight above me, this one was not from Ranger's muscular body pinning me from above. No, this hard surface was different. It was cold, rough and I could feel the barely restrained power behind it. When I tried to move my head I discovered that it was a bad idea. I flinched at the burning sensation of the scrape that formed with the movement. When I tried to take a deep breath, again I was met with the rigid surface impeding my movement. With a shaky inhale, I reluctantly opened my eyes. I was greeted with darkness, which elicited a wave of fear to course through my body. As panic began to creep in, I fought my racing heartbeat as I worked to remember how I got into this mess.

The last 48 hours flashed through my mind in a matter of seconds. My visit to Ranger and the jubilant kiss I planted on his lips just because he looked good enough to eat sitting behind his desk wearing his usual fitted T-shirt was at the forefront of my mind. A small smile tried to creep out at the recollection, but my body quickly reminded me of my current predicament. The next memories I replayed included the sexathon my husband and I had. For about twelve hours we were offline, with most of that time spent engaged in sex and sex and more sex. Work's been nonstop for the past two weeks, which meant Ranger and I did not have much alone time. This morning I knew the seclusion from the outside world would come to an end and wanted to squeeze in at least one more round of amazing intimacy. _We did_. My impression of a riding cowgirl was followed with a steamy shower that should have concluded our sexual activities for the day. It did not. I'd barely slid my thong past my thighs when Ranger interrupted me. For this reason, we strolled in to our joint meeting in the boardroom with about a minute to spare. The Merrymen were all ready to go and the meeting went as smooth and concise as it could possibly go. On our way out of the boardroom Ranger was distracted, a rare occurrence for him, so my oversexed mind quickly formed a wicked idea.

The last words I said to him before I left Rangeman were 'S _ee you tonight'._ A cold shiver rushed through me at the memory. Taking another shaky breath it finally hit me _where_ I was.

Quaker Bridge Mall is a big account for Rangeman and required several of the Merrymen. We were all hands on deck on this one, even the guys that stayed behind at command center. I split the men into two teams: outdoor and indoor. Lester led the outdoor group in their task of combing every single inch of the perimeter. I directed the larger squad indoors as we meticulously executed our walk through procedure. Hell, the whole day had been uneventful. Sure, the location was large and quite busy with its everyday business life but we still managed to run like a well oiled machine. We all pulled our weight in order to successfully complete what became an all day ordeal.

Despite the successful day, I felt some guilt for being offline most of yesterday. As the exhausting day neared to an end, I decided to reward the Merrymen with a sublime dinner. I fully reserved Shorty's in order for the pizzeria to better accommodate our group. Before we could devour heavenly food, there was one last thing on my list and it was to note the usual closing procedure the mall underwent after hours. It would be a simple task. In fact it was so simple, that I ordered all the Merrymen to head out to Shorty's ahead of me. The guys protested, as I knew they would, and suggested I kept a bare bones team instead. They reluctantly agreed when I shooed them out of the mall. My smaller crew was so basic that it was more of a partnership. Not ten minutes later Cal and I were with the current security guards when a loud explosion rocked the building.

 _Oh shit._ The last thing I remember is that loud explosion before everything went black. Now, I'm buried in the dark and quite possibly under the mall's rubble. Scratch that. I'm _for sure_ buried under the wreckage.

Fighting back the shock, I tried to swallow the lump forming in my throat only to detect the unmistakable metallic taste of blood in my mouth. _Great._ I tried to move again, extra careful this time. I found that I had a bit of room to move my hands, but not my arms. Next, I checked my lower half. My legs hurt, which meant they were _at least_ still attached to me, but the wiggle room was minimal to nonexistent.

"Fuck!" I gritted my teeth, fighting back the pain.

"Where does it hurt?" A deep male voice startled me.

I grinned, despite the discomfort, recognizing the tone. "Cal!" Tears I didn't know I was holding back threatened to escape. "Am I glad to hear your voice."

Cal grunted in agreement, not the type to get mushy about such topics. "Where does it hurt?" He repeated his question.

I paid closer attention to the sound of his voice. He didn't sound too far away. "You?" I deflected.

He grunted again, this time out of annoyance. "Nothing." Cal stated that he had no external injuries. That's good. "Not much room to move in, though." No apparent injuries, but he's still just as incapacitated as I am. "You?" He threw back my question and I knew I wouldn't be able to beat around the bush anymore.

I blew out a sigh and whimpered as my aching body retaliated. " _Everywhere_."


	5. Untouched

**Thanks for the amazing support and sorry for the delay in posting. Work just doesn't slow down so it makes it hard to have free time to do much writing. As a Happy New Year gift, here's the continuation to this short story.**

 **Disclaimer: The Plum universe belongs to JE. The rusty writing belongs to me.**

 _The sound of her breathy squeal of surprise unleashed a welcomed shiver through my body. I pride myself on always being aware of my surroundings, but I wouldn't be able to pinpoint anything other than us in this moment even if my life depended on it. One moment we were sitting on her couch watching some nonsense food reality show. I was perfectly content with finally having a moment alone with Babe, even if that meant listening to the drone of an annoying TV show. But, somewhere amid the comfortable silence and laziness of the moment I heard Babe murmur four words. Her unexpected confession caused my body to react._

 _With Babe stretched out beheath me, I raised her hands above her head and used my right knee to nudge her thighs apart. As the weight of my body fully settled over hers, Babe's wild curls plastered to the couch cushion below as her body sank into the cushions ever so slightly. "What was that, Babe?" I asked, aroused and extremely bothered. We've been doing this relationship thing for several weeks now and things have been quite chaste. A little too chaste._

" _What?" I would have believed her feigned ignorance had she not exaggerated the flutter of her eyelashes._

"What did you just say _?" With every word I brushed my hardening cock against her pussy._

 _And with every brush of our sexes, Babe moaned. My body felt on fire, extra sensitive to hers. We've settled into a relationship our way and despite being_ together together, _like she likes to call our newfound togetherness, we've yet to have sex. Shocking, I know._

" _I said that…" She took a moment to slip a hand between our bodies and cup me over my cargo pants. "I feel so untouched."_

 _I have been so horny that I know the moment my dick frees itself from its confines it will not be a slow and sweet kind of night. We've been trying this relationship thing for several weeks now and have yet to do more than stolen kisses. I'm not a saint and of course I have taken any opportunity to do more than kiss her, which has led to some pretty steamy makeout sessions. Why haven't we gone all way yet? That's a good question. I guess we've both been real careful not to ruin this great thing we have going. I won't lie. It's been_ hard _. It's been very, very hard._

" _Babe." I kissed her, hard, to show her how much I want this. I wanted nothing more than to rip our clothes off and just sink to the hilt. I could already savor the feel of our joined bodies along with the sounds she makes when she begs me to plunge deeper. And just as the desire completely clouded my very dirty thoughts, an idea came to mind._

" _Ranger!" Her startled gasp of disappointment was accompanied with a deep frown in response to me moving us away from our current position on the couch. The frown was replaced with a grin when I yanked the loose T-shirt off her body. My breath caught in my throat at the sight of her perky breasts. God, it's been so long. Taking advantage of my stunned state, Babe hooked her thumbs into the waistband of her sweatpants. In a matter of seconds she stood before me completely bare. My entire being was set ablaze once more as I admired every curve and swell of her gorgeously nude body. And just as the itching in my hands prompted me to reach out and satiate my need to touch her, a realization formed. Babe always wears underwear to bed. I know that for a fact. Unless… Unless I take her clothes off and another round is in the cards. The fact that she was smooth all over didn't escape me either. Oh, Babe. Naughty, naughty Babe. "Are you going to do something or just stare?" Her directness startled me out of my internal musings. She'd planned for this to be the night. In fact, my night was scheduled to be quite uneventful thanks to strategic schedule shifts so this will definitely be our uninterrupted night._

" _Babe." A wolfish grin graced my face as I reached for my tempting partner in crime. My arms wrapped around her soft body as our lips met once again. Desperate need mixed with desire as our hands explored each other. I was greeted with soft, silky skin while she resorted to fisting my T-shirt in the process._

 _As the need for air became a must I was greeted by a flashback I know all too well. The memory of Babe soaking wet and handcuffed to her shower rod is one of the most erotic images of Babe I've filed away in my mind. We met at a diner, sure, but our real story began in her bathroom not long after our first meeting. When she called I didn't know if she was serious or if it was a ploy. When I found her she was more angry and frustrated than the sexy goddess I'd envisioned trying to tempt me into a good time. My initial disappointment when I realized she was seriously in need of help morphed into excitement. She was different and that sparked a greater interest in me. Over time taking care of my own needs wasn't enough. I didn't want to admit to myself that what I felt for her was more than just bodily urges. And then I thought if I could have her just once that I'd be okay. Boy was I wrong. It only served to make me crazier about her. Fuck, I made a lot of mistakes where she's concerned but our current status serves as a reminder that it all worked out for us._

" _Ranger!" Her gasp of surprise broke our lip contact as well as startled me out of my internal musings. I had to blink hard serval times as I took a step back. I'd been on autopilot during our kiss. In fact, my musings had been so distant and deep that I didn't even register walking us into her bathroom. That wasn't the biggest shocker. I'd also used my cuffs to handcuff her to the shower rod. "Ranger." Babe repeated my name to get me to snap back at attention. My eyes scanned her from her long, smooth legs and up her torso. When my gaze reached her face she was sporting that playful grin she gets whenever she's planning something._

" _Babe." I'd bypassed hard minutes ago, but when she turned the water on and I watched as water sluiced down her soft body my dick grew impossibly harder. As if glued to my spot I watched as she lathered her body one handed. In fact, she did it so expertly that it made me wonder if she'd possibly practiced this exact same scenario. When a small moan escaped her it caused my feet to unglue themselves and take me the short distance to her._

" _Ranger." Her free hand gripped my soaked T-shirt as we stood under the water spray. My arms slipped around her waist as I bent down to reclaim her lips, and her in the process. This was our moment. This was our someday. "No matter how crazy things get, no one will be able to take this way from us. I won't let them." Her breathy promise when we broke our kiss was as solid as the knife strapped to my leg._

" _Babe." Expertly, I unlocked the handcuffs to give her back her freedom as we began our someday._

 _*End flashback*_

The drive from Rangeman to Quaker Bridge Mall is between 11 and 15 minutes in current traffic conditions. I was aware of the fact that I was breaking several traffic laws, but I couldn't care. At my current speed and weaving between slower cars on the road, I was pushing this to be a flat 9 minute drive. As my grip tightened over the steering wheel I couldn't help but think about how we've been living our moment. A small chuckle escaped. Who would have thought Babe would be the perfect wife for me? Hell, who could have predicted that _I_ would be a married man, much less be married to the one woman capable of making me lose my cool composure. We'd stayed true to our promise to finally live out our moment without letting anything or anyone interfere.

 _And then something does._

A nagging little voice butted in to remind me that something is trying to take her away from me.

As my ETA to the mall neared the minute mark I started hearing the men report themselves safe. A wave of relief began to wash over me as each man's voice filled the otherwise silent SUV. I mentally checked off everyone that reported in. My breath caught in my throat when a passing headlight caused my wedding band to shine. That lump tightened when I finally turned into the mall's parking lot and was greeted with utter chaos. As I drove closer to the flashing lights of the first responders already on scene, I fought to regain control of my emotions. It was a losing battle. My heart was racing as I noted the mall's distinctive QB letters shattered on the ground. Most of the building had imploded, but the damage seemed to be radiating from the center of the mall.

When I parked and turned off the ignition _three people_ had yet to check in.

Cal, Lester and _Babe_.


	6. Rewind

**Hi all. It's been a while since I've been able to post, but I finally have this update for you. This story has maybe three more chapters left, if not two.**

 **I've had this chapter mostly done for about two weeks, just missing some edits.**

 **Different POVs took over for this chapter, as well as a new development of what's going on at the mall.**

 **Happy (early) Fourth of July! (The reason I'm posting today is some students (not mine) lit a firework inside a trash can at school today. LOUD BOOM!, followed by a lockdown, followed by an all clear and some students getting in trouble just before the holiday break. Summer School is never dull. Anyway, LOUD BOOM reminded me of this story, lol).**

 **For reference in Italics we have flashback info (beginning of chapter).**

 **Disclaimer: The Plum Universe belongs to JE. Rusty writing is mine.**

My fingers threaded through her hair just before I fisted her curly ponytail, all while her head continued to bob up and down. "Yeah, that's it, Babe." I groaned with pleasure rather than discomfort as she doubled her efforts. Fuck, she's so fucking good at giving head. "Ughn, yeah, suck it just like that, baby." My sweet murmurs seemed to reignite her efforts, causing her ministrations to pick up speed. "Si, mmm, take it! Take it all, Babe." Fuck, she's so fucking beautiful. I'm such a lucky motherfucker to have this beauty sucking me dry in such a public place. On a particular deep entrance I felt the telltale signs of impending release. "Babe, I'm gonna..." For a brief moment I felt my whole body tense. "That's it, umm yeah." I groaned with relief as my orgasm roared through me and she worked on milking me dry. "Wow, Babe." I murmured with a satisfied grin as an afterthought.

There was a pounding headache along with white hot pain centered on my lower back. Aside from that, there was a heavy weight all around me. What the fuck? I tried to move, but couldn't. It felt like I'd been stuffed inside a small, way too small, opening. I opened my eyes, only to be greeted by darkness. What the hell? My survival instincts kicked in and my whole life started flashing before my eyes, quite literally.

I rushed to catalogue the day's activities, and it all came back to me. The mall!

The day started pretty standard, with a heavy workout session to start the work day. All the guys got their workout in, except one: Rangeman himself. It's super rare for Ranger to miss his morning workout, but when he rolled in to the rundown meeting with seconds to spare I had a good idea why. After the short meeting, Rangeman and Beautiful lagged behind. They weren't in the boardroom long, but that mischievous grin she exited with said it all. Her short detour to the restroom and the minty breath she rolled out with told me all I needed to know. Naughty!

"What do we have for today?" Her enthusiastic question had been the perfect deflection to my sly grin as we angled inside my SUV.

"It's test time!" My grin grew exponentially as I set our tunes for the short drive ahead of us. Beautiful has been secretly working on her Spanish knowledge these past several months. She has made great improvements with Hector, Ram and I as her teachers. The easiest and most secure way of effectively hiding this secret from the Boss Man has been to work with her during our patrols. We play a song, she learns new words and practices her pronunciation, and after we give her feedback on her highs and lows. So far she's made a lot progress. Hector uses mostly tropical tunes, Ram uses a lot of Banda, and I keep it more modern.

Her blue eyes sparkled at the familiar song blasting through the speakers. She swayed her body to the music, managing to look graceful doing it despite the seatbelt holding her in place. "Nadie sabe donde estoy!"

"Ugh!" I heard Ram complain in my earpiece when the Spanish remix of Lost in The Middle of Nowhere ended. The car's atmosphere shifted from the blasting sounds of beats for silence, if only for a brief moment.

"Hater." I beamed with pride at how well she pronounced the words. Some of her Rs can use more practice, but she's definitely on her way to Spanish fluency land.

"Muy bien." Hector chipped in, just as proud.

"Thanks, guys. Muchas gracias, muchachos." She beamed with pride.

When we all arrived to Quaker Bridge Mall, Beautiful gave us instruction and split us into the indoor and outdoor team. I got to lead the smaller outdoor team.

All day QB's finest, and I mean fine, security guard flirted with me. She would purposefully brush against me in passing during the day, to the point where I was ready to bend her over a bench and fuck her senseless. So when the work day ended and Beautiful, aka Boss Babe, dismissed us to head over to Shorty's, I was more than ready to satisfy the day's urge. I am Lester Santos after all.

The memories of the day's events rushed me all at once, reminding me that I was satisfying an urge when a loud explosion rocked the building.

Shit.

I'm buried under the rubble.

As i tried to better assess the situation I was in, I realized that my lower half was wet and sticky. It seems I'd soiled myself at some point during the blackout. I swallowed, or at least tried only to be greeted with a dry, dirty mouth. I'm not a medical expert like Bobby, but I do know losing control of bowel movements could mean a spinal injury.

Crap.

Cal's POV

After coming to I made sure to catalogue even the last hair on my body. My findings were that I was 100% unscathed. It was a momentary relief that quickly dissipated once Bomber confessed she was in pain, everywhere. Damn. I'd give anything to trade places. Ranger is not going to be happy when he finds out his wife isn't as unscathed as me. Damn. Being slowly crushed to death under this building would be a quicker, and way less painful death.

My internal musings were interrupted when Boss Babe, as Lester nicknamed our beloved Bomber, let out a very uncharacteristic groan.

"What's wrong?" Damn it! I'd switch with her in a beat if it meant not hearing that anguished sound ever again.

"Uhm, I had to pee." She said through what sounded like gritted teeth. I think I also detected a hint of embarrassment.

If there's one thing I know about being buried alive under a collapsed structure is that patience and remaining calm are key. It could take minutes, hours, days or in extreme circumstances even weeks before you can be found. The last thing on your mind should be embarrassment over something as natural as a bodily function. So, I told her just that.

She let out a strangled sound, somewhere between a groan and a weep. "See, that's the thing." Again with the embarrassment. "I didn't have a choice. I couldn't hold it."

My mind started racing with possibilities. Bobby would know with a lot more certainty than me, but loss of control of bodily fluids could very well mean a spinal injury.

Fuck.

Morelli's POV

When the call came in that everyone would be hands on deck at Quaker Bridge Mall off of Route 1, I hauled ass to get there to be one of the first on scene. It's not everyday that a potential terrorist attack of such magnitude happens in Trenton. I'd already pulled a double shift by the time the call came in, but I couldn't just go home.

The sight of the building crumbled to pieces is a sight I'll never forget. It was almost unreal that such a solid structure was currently mostly rubble.

Gazarra, Constanza and Big Dog arrived just after I did. We all stood hands on hips for a moment as the sound of nearby sirens signaled the arrival of potential help.

"Shit." Big Dog summed it up better than I could.

In a matter of minutes the parking lot went from deserted to filled with activity. I was waiting for directions from the fire department when a shinny black SUV screeched to a halt behind me.

I rolled my eyes in a perfect impression of a certain someone when I saw him angle out of the expensive car. Luckily, Eddie stepped in to greet him.

"Hey, Ranger." When Manoso ignored him, intent on making his way past my fellow cop, my jaw clenched.

"Woah there, Sunshine!" I halted his progress by blocking his path. Yeah, I hate the bastard. He's good looking, rich and he got the girl. Not all of us are perfect saints, so yeah I'm holding a grudge of sorts.

"We're waiting on the Fire Department's all clear." Eddie said by way of explanation, realizing that if he didn't step in Manoso and I might just go at it right here. It wouldn't be my proudest moment, what with the catastrophe behind us, but a man's gotta protect his reputation. I'd never live it down if I let Manoso intimidate me.

"My men are trained in search and rescue. Anything the Fire Department needs, we're at the ready." Manoso said matter of fact, making another move to get around us.

I rolled my eyes harder than Cupcake ever has. "Of course they are." I muttered.

Eddie shot a sideways glance my way, definitely annoyed. "I'll radio that in to the Fire Captain." Gazarra was doing just that, attempting to diffuse the situation, when a loud explosion rocked our surroundings. As if this night couldn't get any worse.

Manoso lunged forward, determined to get past me. It pissed me off how little regard he had for rules and the police. All the anger I've harbored for him came rushing out. Slamming my left shoulder against his chiseled chest, I dug my sneaker clad feet into the asphalt and pushed back. I felt Eddie join the mix, only to have both of us somehow pushed back. Manoso's strength was impressive, but I was determined.

Manoso barked orders to let go, as if I'd take orders from him.

"My wife is in there!"

It could have been my imagination, but there was raw emotion in his voice. And for just a moment, his facial expression showed pain. At the realization that Stephanie was under that rubble, I felt my stomach clench with familiar worry. I've been there before, worried sick about her.

"We'll get to her." Eddie, being better with words at the moment, clapped my once rival on the back. It was the universal 'I got you, bro'. I always suspected Eddie was in love with Stephanie. If not fully, at least a little bit.

Aren't we all?

"Yeah, we will." I found myself nodding in agreement, suddenly feeling my anger slugging off me.


End file.
